


Good Intentions Lead to Unexpected Occurrences

by Sapphiremoonlight1



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS
Genre: Birthdays, Gen, M/M, Mustaches, Slice of Life, Surprises, The cake might as well be a character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-17
Updated: 2020-06-17
Packaged: 2021-03-03 19:14:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,526
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24770647
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sapphiremoonlight1/pseuds/Sapphiremoonlight1
Summary: All Yusaku wants to do is surprise Takeru for his birthday. Somehow that means running into almost everyone and wandering around Takeru's hometown aimlessly all while dealing with Ai and his nonsense.
Relationships: Ai | Ignis/Fujiki Yuusaku, Fujiki Yuusaku & Homura Takeru
Comments: 4
Kudos: 25





	Good Intentions Lead to Unexpected Occurrences

**Author's Note:**

> Seriously the cake might as well be its own character lol it deserved better!

What are the odds of him not regretting asking the little menace for help? Low, exceedly low, bottom of the freaking well low but Ai is also better then him at this then him so. 

“Oh, Yusaku I knew you'd fall for my stately charm eventually!” Ai beams striking a few poses he no doubt picked up from skimming over those trashy magazines he likes to read while they're in line at the store. “Though the starring is starting to get a little creepy. You're not planning anything uncouth are you?” 

Yeah, he's going to regret this by the end. 

Yusaku sighs and flicks Ai's head softly, “No nothing even close but I do need your help with something.”

Ai lights up in a flash. Being Ai he literally lights up in excitement. The light purple lines around his body and his eyes brighten. Every so often it's easier to read Ai when he's like this. At least when Ai feels like it. 

“Ooh what is it Yusaku? Do you want to declare your undying love to someone? Or maybe you're up to your old tricks? Want me to assist you in breaking into some super secure corporate firewall?” Ai's wiggling almost causes Yusaku's duel disk to fall and he flails barely managing to keep from falling. 

On second thought Ai can help him with some of his plan. 

Approximately thirty minutes later he makes the mistake of leaving a hyperactive AI in a frilly apron unsupervised in the kitchen for five minutes. 

Soon as he walks back into the room, he's hit with splatters of batter. 

“Wahaaha!” The tiny goblin barely holding onto the much bigger electric mixer screams while it whirls him and the batter out of the mixing bowl. Both the bowl the Ai fall onto the ground before Yusaku pulls the mixer's plug. 

“Bless you! That thing is trying to kill me!” Ai peeking out from under the bowl to point at the mixer accuses until some left over charge causes it to spin one last time and he ducks back into the duel disk. 

“Oh no, you don't. Ai get back here you're getting into that soltis and cleaning this mess up,” He says moving the bowl and tapping on the screen waiting for some kind of reaction. When nothing happens, he starts counting. 

One, two, three, crash!

Ai misses a step flying down the narrow stairs and goes tumbling down right onto his hoity toity face. Yusaku shouldn't feel as smug about it as he does but sometimes it's entertaining to see Ai's clumsiness affect someone who isn't him for a change. 

“Alright clean this up. That was the last of the eggs, sugar, and flour we had so I need to go get more, Buying something premade at this point might be better,” he sighs and Ai jumps up and glowers.

“No! It means more if it's home made!...I'll clean this up and stick to keeping an eye on our other little project, but you have to make the next one from scratch! It's super extra special that way!” There is definitely a twinkle in the idiot's eyes that's only there to give his overblown sentiment even more emphase. 

“Fine, I'll buy ingredients instead. Try not to make another mess,” Yusaku says going for the door. He gives one last glance back at the grinning Ai before walking out. Why is this whole connection thing so draining? He's trying to be normal for a change even if it most people presumably wouldn't perceive it that way. Yeah Ai's not letting him withdrew from the world like he mostly would like to but Yusaku also wants to surprise Takeru...and let him know he's alive and not lost in the abyss of cyberspace. 

He's not good at this. Yusaku is aware enough of that fact. He's also not good at figuring out why it requires so much sugar to make something so small. 

All of the bags on the shelves look the same. 

“Fujiki? What are you doing?” Aoi asks walking towards him from down the aisle. “Should I even ask why I found you glaring at sugar when no one's heard from you in months?” she adds once she's close enough to recognize what's in his hand. 

“No, I'm only here to pick up a few things,” He replies tossing it into the cart he'd pick up. 

“Somethings never change huh?” Aoi laughs and then points at kind of container. “Well if you're planing what I believe you'll need something like that. I don't have to know you well enough to guess you likely don't keep things like that on hand.”

Yusaku frowns for a seconding thinking about whether or not he or Ai ordered something to carry their present in. He can't remember coming across something like that. 

“You're really bad at everything that isn't dueling aren't you?“ Aoi starts and glances at him for a second before continuing, “It's fine you know just maybe tell the man running Cafe Nagi you're alright. I'm starting to think he's turning grey all from the stress.” 

She laughs once more and gives him a slight wave before walking off. Feeling even more out of place he snatches one the carrier off the shelf and walks towards the checkout only stopping to grab a silly thing of cheap fake mustaches for Ai. The goof would get a kick out of them.

Whether he meant to or not Yusaku ends up walking right by Cafe Nagi while it's still open. It should have had enough customers around it for Kusanagi not to spot him but, “Yusaku!” he hears the man yell as he's about to walk passed. 

Kusanagi comes running through the modest crowd to catch up with him. “I am out of shape.”

“What do you think you're doing trying to sneak passed me like that!” The man begins lecturing as soon as he catches his breath. The attention they're getting from the crowd around the cafe isn't making the situation any less awkward. 

“Don't tell me you've been in Den City the whole time!” 

No, he hasn't. He and Ai have only been in town around a week. Technically speaking at least. Yusaku didn't leave he's merely been staying in Link Vrains for longer and longer stretches of time trying to find the self-destructive idiot if that counts as leaving. 

“I'm not going to get an answer to that, am I? Oh well, as long as you're okay, I guess,” Kusanagi sighs running a hand through his hair in exasperation. “Still the most you could do is give a guy a heads up. I swear one these days one of you is going to give me a heart attack.”

“How is jin?” He asks not know sure how much he wants to Kusanagi about where he was and what happened. 

“He's fine. In fact he's covering for me right now if you want to speak to him,”the man offers and then stares at the bags in Yusaku's hands, “unless you have other plans.”

“Though I have a few questions about the mustaches. Yes, I can see them through the plastic.”

“Maybe another time Kusanagi,” he replies stepping away from the man. 

“Alright but tell Ai I want a picture of you wearing one of those,” Kusanagi gives him a knowing look before strolling back towards the cafe. 

Is he that easy to read? Or is it the silly gift he picked up for Ai that gave him away? Yusaku watches the man walk back to his truck and say something his brother. Jin gazes over in his direction and waves at Yusaku with a smile. 

Add Ryoken, and he can call bingo for running into people, if he includes Ai. He shakes his head Ryoken should be off in international waters avoiding being arrested. There's no way Yuskau could run into him too especially not here in the open. 

Somehow he avoids running into anyone else on his way home. It's surprising he hasn't walked passed Naoki or someone else from school at this rate. 

“Yusaku!” Ai Shouts from the doorway, “What took you so long?”

“I ran into Zaizen and then Kusanagi,” Yusaku answers shoving Ai inside. They don't need anyone identifying Ai while he's hanging out the doorway like that. 

“Oh how are Blue Maiden and dear ol' Unnamed?”Ai asks scowling a bit. He snatches the bags out of Yusaku's hands and occupies himself pulling things out. 

“Zaizen pointed out we could use something to put the cake in and Kusanagi already assumes you're still around,” He says closing the door and latching it behind him. He turns around to find Ai trying to keep a ridiculously long mustache on his face. 

Ai glances at him, “It was these that tipped him off right? No one as boring as you would purchase something so fun for themselves.” He teases twirling the end of it around. 

“You look absurd,” Yusaku remarks moving into the kitchen. Then suddenly Ai is next to him and something is on his face. 

“Now you look absurd too!” Ai exclaims taking a step back to admire his work. 

“This thing is itchy. You're fortunate you don't have that kind of sensor. Anyway how's our other project?” He asks scratching at the shaggy caterpillar stuck to his face. 

“Ha!That means these are all mine! But yeah things here are going fine, a little temperamental but fine. We should be set to leave by the time we finish baking,” Ai says dragging Yusaku along with him back around the counter. 

Thirty minutes and a smaller mess than earlier later, he and Ai go up to his room having sometime before the timer goes off. Yusaku goes to check on things, and Ai goes to dig around for something that might work as a cleverer disguise then his purple blouse. Everything Ai tries on looks ridiculous with that mustache still on his face and it's not like Yusaku possesses a whole lot for him to go through either. 

“We need to take you shopping one of these days!” Ai huffs giving in and deciding to go with one of Yusaku's hoodie. The computer makes a noise like it disagrees. 

“Oh what do you know about style?!" Ai counters glaring at the screen. Yusaku sighs leaning onto his desk wondering if he's be better off leaving Ai here. 

“Oh don't be so glum Yusaku!Ai promise this will go well!” 

“I'm worried about someone picking up on you. You said it was someone going after you that causes all the bad futures right?” It's all fun and games until Sol Tech, Revolver or someone even worse notices Ai's alive. So Ai's agreed to stay inside as much as possible while they work things out but the idiot also insists on coming with him to the countryside.

“Oh. That's what's troubling you,” Ai says walking closer to the desk. He bends down and surprises Yusaku with a hug. “I'm sorry. You should be doing all this normal people stuff without having to worry about something like me.”

Yusaku wiggles an arm free so that he can flick the Ai's forehead. “Don't talk like that! I want you here with me. We just have to be careful, and I don't think that cheesy mustache is going to fool anyone.”

“Like running around in a hoodie and refusing to allow people get a look at your face worked any better?” Ai whines letting him go. Ai has a point there, how no one figured out who Yusaku was all the times he showed up for in person meeting hiding in a hoodie is beyond him. 

The computer generates another disapproving noise and Ai sticks his tongue out at it. “See I told you. Temperamental!” 

'Ting' 

The kitchen timer goes off, and they exchange a quick look before Ai gets up, “Well I'll get that. Why don't double check if you have everything you need packed up. Yusaku only needs to make sure his duel disk is in his pack. He's not expecting to stay there long but maybe he could throw in a change of clothes too. 

“You ready?” He asks the computer screen. It dings, and he jumps up and grabs his bag to meet Ai down stairs. 

In the kitchen Ai is trying to put icing on the still extremely hot cake. Alot of persistence and the whole can of icing later and the cake has a bumpy red layer on it. Ai smiles at him triumphantly before handing him a thing of sprinkles. 

“Follow the outline and we're all done!” 

Easier said than done. Ai snickers behind him so Yusaku takes the opportunity to jab him where his gut would be if he was human. Experiencing some sense of pain Ai yelps and steps away. 

“Hey! That's not very nice!”

“I know. Come on we're going to be to miss the train,” He replies packing up the cake to go. 

“You're so mean Yusaku!” Ai whines following after him. 

“If it makes you feel better when we get back I'll let you haul me out shopping for a few hours,” Yusaku says and Ai howls snatching the cake from him and taking off down the street. 

He doesn't catch up with the robot that can't feel exhaustion or the need to stop to breathe until they reach the train station. “Sorry I got too enthusiastic didn't I?”

“It's fine,” Yusaku says staring at the mustache somehow still fixed to Ai's face. Did he super glue it or something?

“You really have succumbed to charms haven't you?” Ai teases then tilts his head focusing on something behind Yusaku before glaring at who/whatever it is. 

“I would hope not but since you're still around I could only assume.” Ryoken strides up beside him followed by Spectre looming off to the man's other side. Just their luck. 

“You really think a cheap mustache is enough?” 

“No and I'd keep any complaints to yourself we're in public and you don't want to frighten them unnecessarily,” Ai snaps. 

“He has a point besides we're only here to catch a train,” Yusaku adds watching to two Hanoi study them in return. Spectre scuffs not caring but Ryoken being the more reasonable of the two scowls unhappy about the situation. 

“You're right but when you get back from visiting Soulburner I'd like to speak to with about,” Ryoken cut himself upset that Ai is even there with Yusaku. 

“There's nothing to talk about,” He states flatly and Ai steps in between them as the incoming train slows. 

“That would be our train. You can argue about my right to sentience when we come back ok,” Ai says manhandling him into the crowd of people in line to get on. Yusaku glances behind him to if Ryoken and Spectre are still standing there scrutinizing them. 

“That could have been worse,” Ai jokes and he rolls his eyes. It only means it will be worse when they come back. “Oh look at this way Yusaku. At least now we know Revy isn't going to annihilate me on the spot.” 

Ai is almost as bad as him when it comes to trying to cheer people up and it's enduring in an awkward way. He lets Ai continue chatting while they obtain a seat and wait for the train to arrive at the station. 

“Pretty! Yusaku we should take the train more. It's so pleasant to behold something that isn't the crack walls of that dust shabby apartment.” Ai bemoans then a unexpected twist in the tracks comes along causing him to fumble around trying to keep the cake from falling onto the floor.“Ahh!”

He grins a little at Ai's clumsiness, “Careful we want to keep that from being a mess too.” Ai looks up about to say something but settles for a gentle smile instead before settling back onto his bench hugging the carrier tightly. 

Yusaku falls asleep watching the city scapes fly by. A few hours later Ai nudges him awake, “Come on our stops coming up. We don't want to end up in the wrong place now do we?”

“I brought you some coffee,” Ai says laughs when Yusaku's eye blink open. “We really should work on your addiction to this stuff. It can't be healthy.” 

He grumbles and snatches the cup out of Ai's hand as the train starts slowing down. 

“Ooh! We're up!”

They make their way off the platform down to the ground level before Ai offers him a peculiar look,“Say, Yusaku do you know how to get there from here?” 

Yeah, he had mapped out a route the day before he told about his plans. Yusaku slips off his back in search of his directions only for the piece of paper to blow away in the breeze. They witness it whirl further and further up until it gets stuck in the overhead platform. 

Yusaku glares back down at Ai before he can comment, “You're an AI you should be able to find the way from here.”

“I'm not a GPS! Plus the wifi signals around here seem to fade out after a few blocks so I won't be much help,” Ai replies with a deep sigh. “So how do we suppose we find the dojo now?”

Yusaku frowns knowing he's hates the answer,“We can ask someone for directions.” 

“Well then we're in for an adventure,” Ai says scanning around but they're the only ones who came off the train at this stop. 

He groans in agreement and starts walking in an arbitrary direction. Down some road they spot an old lady walking or more specifically Ai spots the unfortunate elderly lady. Having an idiot run up to you shouting nonsense and then having them chase you down the street when you start running from them must be horrifying. 

Yusaku tries his best to catch up but there is no way he can keep up with Ai. The old woman out running him is embarrassing, though. At least she manages to get away from Ai by ducking into some building.

“What happened to keeping a low profile,” he says. 

Ai stomps back over to him grumbling, “I just wanted to ask if she knew where the street was.”

“Come on let's find someone else. Next time let me talk to them.” 

After walking around in circles a few times, they somehow find their way to a pier. Ai spots a girl in the distance and goes running again!

“Ai!” He yells trying to get his attention but Ai's already half down one of the docks. 

“Hello!Hey!,” Ai shouts at the girl and then trips over his own feet. Out of his hands flies their cake and Yusaku watches it in horror slowly fly towards the sea. The girl reaches out and catches it before it can hit the water. 

She kind of glances at it and then down at the sheepish looking Ai, “Are you okay?”

“Don't mind him. We've been searching for a friend of ours, and he got excited to see someone,”Yusaku answers for Ai when he reaches them. 

“Oh would that be Tabenu?” She asks looking at the cake again. “There's no one in this town with that name and you're not from around here either are you?” 

Ai hmms and snatches the cake from the girl. “No we're not but if you wouldn't mind pointing us in the precise direction my friend here lost the map he brought.” 

The girl blinks and laughs, “You brought a physical map? You remind me of a friend of mine. He's not very got with technology either.”

He did bring someone that could undoubtedly find Takeru it's just Ai seems to enjoy being lost and making him run around in circles. Yusaku doesn't believe what Ai said about being useless. He hasn't since they departed from the station. 

“Anyway who are you looking for?”

“Homura, Takeru,”Ai chimes and her expression turns unsure. 

“He's a friend of ours, and we want to visit him. He left Den City without saying anything,” Yusaku adds hoping that might help soothe her nerves. It was clear from her reaction she knows Takeru but she also distrusts them.

“Den City...Ooh! What's your name?”Something clicks for her and she relaxes a little.

“Fujiki, Yusaku,” He replies. 

“While Fujiki you're in luck, I can so you to his grandparents' house. It's not that far from here,” she offers. 

“Thank,” Ai stepping too close to the edge of the dock and tittering off it cuts Yusaku off. The cake goes flying again as Ai tries and fails to find some kind of balance. The idiot falls into the water while he and the girl dash for the cake. She gets to it first.

“Help! Help! I'm drowning!I'm drowning!” Ai howls splashing around trying to remain a float. The soltis' frame is mostly hollow so it would take awhile for him to sink if he can at all. Doesn't mean he won't short circuit if he's in there long enough. 

“No, you're not,” Yusaku drones and turns to the girl, “What's your name by the way?”

“Kiku.”

“Yusaku you're so cruel flirting in front me with some girl while I drown!” Ai whines and glares at him for a moment before ducking into the water. For a moment Kiku and him watch the fake mustache Ai had been wearing bob up and down in the current. Yusaku bends down to fish the thing out for some reason. 

One of Ai's arms emerge out of the water and pull Yusaku in closer. They're lips collide for a second before Ai pulls away with a smug smirk across his face. 

“See, you're completely smitten with me,” Ai whispers while the smug smirk on his face somehow grows wider. Yusaku allowing none of his nonsense shoves Ai right back into the water. Behind them Kiku starts giggling to herself. 

Ai thrashes around trying to get out of Yusaku's hold until he lets Ai go, “If you're done being coy I'd like to find Takeru before it gets too late.”

“Meanie! You don't possess any sense of romance!” Ai huffs hoisting himself back onto the dock. For a quick second after he stands back up it seems like the Soltis is going to start malfunctioning, there's a minor streak of static along the side of his face that makes his bangs stick up wildly. 

“What?” Asks looking at Kiku and she laughs. 

“Nothing come on, I'll show you the way and then maybe Mrs. Homura can put you on the drying rack.” 

Ai pouts and Kiku starts leading them back through the area for a few minutes before stopping at the end of someone's sidewalk. 

“This is it. Good luck, Ooh and if I hear anything bad from Takeru later I will find you,” Kiku says handing Yusaku the cake and walking off giggling to herself. Ai looks to him and he shrugs before approaching the house. They have more urgent things to do. 

“What are you doing?” Yusaku asks staring at Ai who decided to try to hid off to the side of the door. 

“This whole thing is about the two of you right?Besides I don't think he really wants to see me right now,”Ai replies trying to press himself into the side of the building. 

Yusaku disagrees with that. Ai needs to talk to everyone eventually and They've both been working hard on Takeru's actually gift together. The cake is a nice attempt from Yusaku to be normal but it's their other surprise that matters more. 

He moves the cake around to free up one hand before reaching for Ai's. Yusaku grips onto Ai arm and drags the stuttering idiot back over to the door with him. “You knock.”

Ai sends him a tentative stare before giving the door a few gentle taps. 

“Takeru get the door it's probably Kiku!”

“I'm going, I'm going!” 

“How did they even hear that?” Ai whispers as the door lock clicks. 

“Kiku I already told you I was...you're not Kiku,” the door opens and Takeru stands there gawking at them. They all stand staring at each other awkwardly for awhile. 

“Hello,” Yusaku says breaking the silence and it's enough to set Takeru off. 

“What the hell!? You don't contact me in months and show up with Ai? What happened? Why are you here with him?Wh....”

Yusaku interrupts him by shoving the cake at him, “Happy birthday Takeru.”

“If it helps, I was planning to let you and Yusaku have your moment together but well you know how stubborn he is,” Ai says flinging his currently free hands up in surrender. 

Takeru opens the container and looks at the gooey red mess that been his cake. It never stood a chance between being tossed around and unrefrigerated. “Umm, thanks but this just gives me even more questions. I don't think I ever told you when my birthday is,” Takeru mutters poking at the cake in curiouslity. 

“Oh come on, we both know Yusaku's isn't the trusting type. He looked into you after we all had left Cafe Nagi that day,” Ai cut his sentence off when Yusaku glares at him. 

“Oh,” Takeru replies slumping down. 

“That's not the point right now. Can we talk to you for a few minutes?” Yusaku asks and it works Takeru frowns but he opens the door for them and steps aside. 

“Sure we can talk in my room.”

Takeru shows them through the house bypassing his grandparents who pretended to not see him and Ai walk past them. 

“So?” Takeru says letting them into his room and taking a seat on his bed with the cake in his lap. 

“yeah.” Yusaku sighs sitting at the task and Ai plops himself on the floor next to him. 

“Lovely somehow your both even more awkward then when we all first meet.”

“Okay. What do you want to talk about? You've been gone for months, and he's supposed to be trying to destroy humanity,” Takeru snaps crossing his arms and glaring at them. 

“If you want to get technical, I'm supposed to be dead. That's how our matched ended, he beat me and that was supposed to be the end of it,” Ai explains while Yusaku slips his bag off to look for his duel disk. 

“We have something for you. Other then the cake,” Yusaku says grimacing at the waste of sugar before pulling out his duel disk. Takeru stares at him confused while he gets up and sides down on the bed with him. 

“I've seen your duel disk before. He used to be stuck to it,” Takeru says, and Yusaku resists the urge to roll his eyes. Things are never what they appear to be. They should both know that by now. He puts it down between them and gives it a tap. 

“Alright we finally made it, you can come out now.”

The screen glitches a few times turning on before settling on an being an irritated eyeball then it looks over at Takeru and utters a joyful noise. 

“Flame!” Takeru exclaims snapping the duel disk up but he stops from doing much else confused about what to do. Ai moves across the floor to lean against the bed and Yusaku's leg. 

“When Ai lost he disappeared the same way Flame did and I....well we were able to find a lot of Flame's data but some of it is still out there somewhere,” Yusaku starts explaining but he skips over his over desperate search to put Ai together only to stumble on parts of Flame instead over and over again. It had been dumb luck that he found Ai in as good a condition as he ultimately did. 

Like that Takeru starts crying holding the beeping duel disk up to chest. 

“We could use some help recovering the rest of him.”

Takeru surprises Yusaku by throwing his arms around him for a hug leading the duel disk to roll onto the bed and the cake to fall on the floor. “Thank you Yusaku. I would have helped you anyway, but I'm happy either way .”

Ai pokes him in the leg, and he glances down at him for a second, “hug him back you oof!” 

“I'm still pissed at you though,”Takeru says glaring at the unfazed Ai. 

“Get in line, I'm pretty sure Revolver's got a head start on plotting my irrevocable demise,” Ai sighs getting up.“Now I'm going to ask your grandparents where they keep the cleaning supplies.”With a wink he's out the door leaving him, Takeru and a smugly bleeping Flame wishing them the best in dealing with Ai. 

“I'm sorry about the cake, but I have to ask why a cake?” Takeru asks getting up and nudging the mush on the floor. 

“That's how people are supposed to celebrate someone's birthday right?” Yusaku explains frowning. 

“Oh Yusaku, now that I know you're back we're going to work on getting out more. It's a nice gesture but holy fuck maybe tell us you're alive first! I've been so worried something happened to you and then you show up with Ai and a cake,” Takeru exclaims then turns sheepish. “I haven't told my grandparents about all that stuff. I hope they didn't overhear that.”

Yusaku laughs, “With Ai around I doubt they did. We should go save them from him.”

Flame makes a noise in agreement while Takeru shakes his head and gets up. As it turns out, they seem to have fallen for Ai. His grandma especially appears to be enjoying Ai's company. 

“Oh, Takeru it's nice to meet your city friends. I didn't know they could be so charming.”

“Actually grandma, grandpa can they stay over for the night?” Takeru asks side-eyeing the grinning Soltis. 

“Of course Sweetheart. It's late, and we wouldn't want them to be unsafe right?” She replies smiling to his grandpa who nodes his head in agreement. 

“Besides I always wanted to fight a Soltis.”

Takeru grins at his grandpa, “You know so have I.” 

Ai glances back and forth between them uncomfortable before jumping up and hiding behind Yusaku. “Help me! I'm fragile.”

“The only thing fragile about you is your ego,” Yusaku quips and everyone but Ai laughs. 

“Meanie! I'm not built for psychical fighting!”

After spending an eventful hour in the dojo Takeru and his grandparents go off doing different things. Takeru excuses himself to use the bathroom while his grandparents sneak off to get the cake they made for the occasion. So Ai seizes the chance to drag him outside. 

“So regret asking me for help hmm?” Ai hums gazing at the starry sky. “Ai know you. You didn't think this would go as well as it has.”

“I think there's an old lady watching her back that thinks her day could have gone better,” he replies drily. Ai turns to him beaming anyway.

“True but hey now you have a funny story to tell Takeru later.”

“Thank you Ai,” Yusaku says tugging one of Ai's sleeves enough to make him slouch down so Yusaku can kiss the abruptly silent AI. In return Ai giddily slips Yuskau's hand off of his arm and takes hold of both Yusaku's hands before returning the kiss. 

Unfortunately the sound of Takeru clearing his throat ruined their moment. “You guys need a minute?”

“Nope I think we're done out here. Right Ai?” Yusaku replies without an ounce of embarrassment. Ai though starts staring holes in the ground.

“Good because we kind of need you two if we're going to do the whole surprise and blow out the candles thing,” Takeru says a little embarrassed for interpreting them. 

Ai straightens up and shoves Yusaku back through the door into the dimly lit house. Out of the hallway approaches Takeru's grandma with a cake covered in candles followed by his grandpa. 

“Now then dear why don't you come here and blow out the candles?” The woman says stopping in front of him. 

“Isn't it supposed to be Takeru who blows them out?” Yusaku blinks and steps back confused about what's happening. 

“Yeah but I kind of told them a few things about you and we decided to celebrate yours too even if I don't know when it is,”Takeru explains slinging an arm around Yuskau's shoulder with a broad grin. “Now make a wish!”

Reluctantly he does as he's told and blows out the candles in a couple of tries to the sound of cheering. 

“Happy birthday Yusaku!”

“Happy birthday Takeru,” he replies smiling and wrapping his hand around Takeru's shoulder in return. Maybe figuring out bonds and people won't be so hard after all. Especially with people who genuinely care about him and vice versa. 

“Thank you for the cake and for bringing Flame with you. I know he can be a handful,” Takeru whispers but Ai still overhears it and laughs. 

There's a faint noise in the hallway that sounds like Flame disagreeing.

**Author's Note:**

> This was supposed to be a drabble about Yusaku baking Takeru a birthday cake but then I added Ai and it sprialled quickly. Mine was a few days ago and I thought it'd be a fun idea...it's always fun until your idea go from drabbles to longish oneshots. 
> 
> I tried to keep this completely gen but I kept writing myself into ify scenarios and said screw it.


End file.
